For many people, especially pet lovers, cruelty to animals is as traumatising as violence committed against human beings. They feel the situation is more disturbing because such abuse cases are often not properly followed up by law enforcement agencies, which are perceived as thinking that animal lives are less valuable.

Ocean Park chairman Allan Zeman has done the right thing by choosing not to import beluga whales from Russia.

Due to the public outcry both in Hong Kong and around the globe, it became clear that the majority are opposed to animals being taken from their homes, transported across the globe and confined to small barren prison tanks.

Ten animal welfare groups have united to urge Ocean Park to abandon its plan to catch wild white whales for public display.

The demand by the Asia for Animal Coalition follows news that the park had commissioned a survey of Hongkongers to see whether they supported the capture of the hump-headed creatures, also known as belugas.

Hong Kong likes to think of itself as a caring society. We're undeniably charitable and devote a large part of our financial resources to the needs of the least well-off in society. But that devotion doesn't extend to the well-being of animals, thousands of which are put to death each year because no one wants them.